to a then unknown Ja Rule), propelled by the single, “Homie Love.” But even before that, in the early nineties, rapper Smoke D had made a major move. After meeting Bun B and Pimp C at a local club in Jackson, he moved to Houston with intentions to be the third member of UGK.
“Banner came up with the name and concept,” Kamikaze remembers. “We were in a crew called the Stowaways which was a bunch of different cats from across the country that met up at Jackson State University. We realized Mississippi didn’t have representation in the Hip Hop world so he came up with the idea to form a group.”
“That was in 1991 or 92 when I left to Texas and was stayin’ with [Pimp and Bun],” he recalls in his slow drawl. “I left and came back to Jackson for a couple of weeks and ended up getting in trouble.”
Named for the chant kids sing when learning how to spell the state’s name, Crooked Lettaz seemed destined for success. Intelligent, aware and spiritually grounded, Banner and Kamikaze’s release was full of raw creativity. But then, industry politics reared its ugly head.
That trouble landed him in prison for six years. While Smoke D was still featured on “Front Back, Side to Side” from UGK’s sophomore album, Supertight, and on the Ridin’ Dirty interludes, Jackson had missed out on a key opportunity to introduce themselves to the rap world. It would take nearly five more years for Wild Life Society to drop and a couple more after that for rapper Boo the Boss Player to begin making waves nationally with the Concentration Camp alongside No Limit standout, Young Bleed. “I think Mississippi has always been overlooked and underestimated,” says Kamikaze, his voice laced with annoyance. “Even presently I get real frustrated with how Mississippi gets looked at because people think that Banner is the only representation of the state. It’s all good, but there’s so many other artists here that are talented. We down here makin’ good music and we been doin’ it for years.” Banner agrees. “Even back then you had so many groups that had talent,” he says. “When there’s a place where nobody has really done anything from a major perspective it makes the artists and the city a lot more hungry. There were so many groups that had to do it, sell records and get radio play without anybody to help them. You had groups who really, really were learning how to build corporations. Even with my first underground album, we wrapped them, we got the barcodes on them, we had in-house graphic work, we pressed up the CDs, we did the art on the CDs, we got them in the stores. I actually was in the sweatshop myself putting plastic on the CDs, so you know we put together our own shows. People wonder why southern rap groups are able to do so much that’s the reason why.” While other artists like Reese & Bigalow and Mississippi Mafia were gaining regional recognition in the mid-nineties, the doors to the state swung wide open with the emergence of Crooked Lettaz in 1999. Comprised of David Banner and Kamikaze, the group’s album, Grey Skies (released on the now defunct Tommy Boy Records) offered a glimpse into the tormented history of Mississippi, while simultaneously providing a soundtrack to the gritty streets of Jackson.
“We had a manager that robbed us of six figures and a label that didn’t know what to do with southern music,” says Kamikaze. “This was before the south took over the game so the label didn’t know what to do with a southern group especially one that was talking about something. Crooked Lettaz was a movement, we were trying to reach people and deliver a message. We didn’t come in the game talking about the standard things people talk about it was difficult for them to market what we were doing.” Eventually the duo was forced to disband and begin hustling independently to make ends meet. Of course, Banner was the first to blow. When Mississippi: The Album dropped on Universal in 2003, he blew the scene wide open and put the entire state on his back.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us…
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David Banner has definitely been a door opener for Mississippi,” says DJ Sweat, who recently dropped the mixtape, Puttin’ Mississippi on the Map. “He’s educated and he’s not ignorant. He’s very respected by me and I really appreciate the stuff he does.” From his numerous charitable efforts, including the Heal the Hood concerts he put together immediately following Katrina to his speaking engagements and willingness to bluntly talk about the political and social issues plaguing his people, Banner’s commitment to the community has made him one of the most well-respected artists in the business. “Nobody really gives to us as far as historically, “ he maintains. “Mississippi has always been pushed to the back as far as America is concerned. Even if you look at Katrina and what happened it’s like southern states are the ghetto for America, that’s what they look at us as. We learned that if we don’t do it, nobody is gonna do it for us. Even with Katrina, Mississippi got put on the back burner.” Talk to virtually any producer, artist or DJ hailing from Mississippi and you’ll find the same philanthropic nature that Banner has. Given the
(l to r): Donnie Money (Mississippi Mafia),, Young Shad, Aziattik Black, Kamikaze, Sweetz (b.i.G.f.a.c.e.), David Banner, Marcus., E, Twa (b.i.G.f.a.c.e.), Tambra Cherie (Admission Granted TV)
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